DATING FENDER GUITARS BY REFERENCE OF SERIAL NUMBERS

Serial numbers may be useful in determining the year of production of a guitar.
But an incomplete registrations and illogical serial numbers is its history often unclear.

Fender's production methods from the early fifties had the effect the numbers may not be
consecutive. Also overlap of serial numbers and dates come with regularity.

Where to find the serial number
The serial numbers on the guitar are provided through the years on various places.
At the top of the neck plate, at the front or at the back of the head or on the cover plate of the
vibrato. (Stratocaster)
Between 1973 and 1981 there were periods that this is not consistently done.

If you want to know the production year of your Fender guitar, you can calculate it with the serial number decoder, or find it in the tables below.

Although a serial number is helpful for roughly determining the age of a guitar, this is often not
the exact date. Usually, the production date is stamped or written is on the heel of the neck.
To read this it is necessary to unscrew the neck from the body.

Most specifications for the Fender guitars are hardly changed. Although there have been
periods in which major changes occurred as the acquisition of Fender by CBS, and the
transition from CBS Fender to the current owner (Fender Musical Instruments Corporation),
most models are in general not changed.

At the Stratocasters from the early fifties the serial numbers were stamped on the back vibrato
cover. On some Telecasters at the bridge between the pickup and the saddles.

Patent numbers

Between 1960 and 1977, were added several patent numbers to the models. These became in the head under the Fender logo stamped.

e.g. PAT, 2,573,254 2,968,204 3,143,028 2,976,755 DES 187304

2,573,254 for pickup and bridge combination.
2,968,204 for the single coil pickup patent awarded in 1961 under other for Jaguar, Stratocaster, Duosonic.
3,143,028 the patent granted in August 1964 for Fender's adjustable neck construction.
2,976,755 for the split coil pickup design. (Used since 1957 to the Precision Bass)

The DES is the serial number.

Esquires, Broadcasters and Telecasters 1950-1954.
The serial number for these three models can be found at the bridge plate
and is used until about early 1954.
Fender then switched to a serial numbering on the neck plate for all models.

SERIAL NUMBERS

PRODUCTION YEAR

0001 - 0999

1950 - 1952

1000 - 5300

1952 - 1954

Precision Basses 1951-1955.
There is some overlap of serial numbers and dates.
Until 1955, the serial number is applied to the bridge plate.
Although Fender had already switched in 1954 serialized for all models on the neck plate,
is the serial number at some Precison's still affixed to the bridge plate.

SERIAL NUMBERS

PRODUCTION YEAR

100 - 400

1951 - 1952

0001 - 0999

1952-1954

1000 - 2000

1953 - 1955

All models

The table below shows the Fender serial numbers as they were
used from 1950 to 1964.
The serial numbers in principle chronological, but as already mentioned,
as a result of Fender's production, there are a several serial numbers
that overlap.
The only way to try to figure out the date is to remove the neck from the
body and check the butt end of the heel of the neck.
If the date is unreadable, it can also be written on the body under the
pickguard or cavity form the pickups.

SERIAL NUMBERS

PRODUCTION YEAR

> 6000

1950 - 1954

> 10.000

1954 - 1956

10.000

1955 - 1956

10.000 - 20.000

1957

20.000 - 30.000

1958

30.000 - 40.000

1959

40.000 - 50.000

1960

50.000 - 70.000

1961

60.000 - 90.000

1962

80.000 - 90.000

1963

90.000 - L10.000

1963

L10.000 - L20.000

1963

L20.000 - L50.000

1964

January 1965 Fender was acquired by CBS Corporation.
Although it is not be traced back directly to the serial numbers.
CBS continued to make the guitars using the existing tools, parts, and the
numbering system. The table below shows the serial numbers as they were used from 1965 to 1976.

Again, there are a several serial numbers that overlap.

SERIAL NUMBERS

PRODUCTION YEAR

L50.000 - L90.000

1965

100.000

1965

100.000 - 200.000

1966 - 1967

200.000

1968

200.000 - 300.000

1969 - 1970

300.000

1971 - 1972

300.000 - 500.000

1973

400.000 - 500.000

1974 - 1975

500.000 - 700.000

1976

The next table shows the most common Fender serial numbers schemes
from 1976 to the present.
Here is the S first introduced as a prefix to the serial numbers.
The S stands for the decade of the seventies.
The E stands for the decade of the eighties, and was introduced in 1979.

As you can see by the overlap of numbers and years, the reference to
the actual date of manufacture is rather vague.

SERIAL NUMBERS

PRODUCTION YEAR

76 + 5 digits
S6 + 5 digits

1976

S7 + 5 digits
S8 + 5 digits

1977

S7 + 5 digits
S8 + 5 digits
S9 + 5 digits

1978

S9 + 5 digits
E0 + 5 digits

1979

S9 + 5 digits
E0 + 5 digits
E1 + 5 digits

1980

S9 + 5 digits
E0 + 5 digits
E1 + 5 digits

1981

In 1982 teh U.S. Vintage Series was introduced with the V as prefix to the
serial number.

1989
(For U.S. Vintage Series, check date on the neck for specific year)

In 1990, the N came as a prefix to the numbers, which stands for the
nineties. The numbers and decals are produced far in advance.
Due to a mistake at the factory in 1990 N9 decals (which were intended
for use in 1999) applied to a several instruments that were built in that
year.
As a result of this mistake, you will be able to get a guitar with a serial number N9 that was built in 1990.